Educational Leadership

Program Description

The principal purpose of the Educational Leadership program is to provide professional/academic education for individuals preparing for leadership roles in Pk-12 and higher education settings.  These roles include teacher leadership, mid-level administrative positions (elementary school principal, secondary school principal or higher education administrator), and upper-level administrative positions such as superintendent of schools. Degrees offered include a 30-credit Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Leadership-Teacher Leadership, a 36-credit Master of Education (M.Ed.) or Master of Science (M.S.) in Educational Leadership, and an Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree. Programs meet certification requirements in the various areas appropriate to the North Dakota requirements for K-12 administration positions.

The program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and approved by the North Dakota Education Standards and Practices Board. Changes in national and state legislation, standards, or rules can affect academic program requirements.

Required application materials for the

Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in Educational Leadership

• Official transcripts of all previous collegiate work, including one verifying graduation with a master’s degree from an accredited institution;
• A cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher in all graduate-level courses;
• Resume including credentials, licenses and certificates;
• Two references that evaluate the applicant’s potential for success as a graduate student and as an educational leader; and
• A leadership essay.

Master of Education (M.Ed.) or the Master of Science (M.S.)

• Official transcripts of all previous collegiate work, including one verifying graduation with a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution;
• A cumulative baccalaureate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale;
• Resume including credentials, licenses and certificates;
• Two references that evaluate the applicant's potential for success as a graduate student in the chosen master's degree program and as an educational leader; and
• A leadership essay.

Admission is considered only after all required application materials have been received and reviewed. Where appropriate, all international student requirements must be met.

Admission decisions are based upon the predicted success of the applicant as a student and professional in the chosen field and are made only after considering all available data. A student must meet all requirements for full admission.

After being accepted for graduate study in the School of Education, the student should contact an adviser assigned to her/him for assistance in filing a plan of study for consideration by the program.

The Master of Science (M.S.) and the Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degrees require a disquisition. The Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree is a non-disquisition, practitioner-oriented degree. Programs vary in their requirements for a written comprehensive exam or a portfolio/oral. 

Ann Trousdale Clapper, Ed.D.
Drake University, 1991
Research Interests/Areas of Expertise: Transformational Leadership, Educational Change, and Implementation Science

Sarah Crary, Ph.D.
University of North Dakota, 2018
Research Interests: Information Literacy, K-12 Education Change, Post-Secondary Readiness, Leadership

Jeffery E. Lind, Ed. D.
University of North Dakota, 2015
Research Interests: Leadership, Teacher Leadership, Organizational Behavior, Education Policy and Finance